Pubdate: Mon, 26 Apr 1999
Source: PR Newswire
Copyright: 1999 PR Newswire
Contact: Juan Ros of the Libertarian Party of California, 818-506-0200,
Email: http://www.215Now.com/
LIBERTARIANS LAUNCH PROP. 215 WEB SITE INSPIRED BY KUBBY ARRESTS
SACRAMENTO, Calif., April 26 /PRNewswire/ -- The Libertarian Party of
California has launched a new web site -- www.215Now.com -- designed to
pressure government officials into fully implementing Proposition 215, the
medical marijuana initiative passed by voters in November, 1996,
Libertarian state chairman Mark Hinkle announced today.
"Two years, five months, and 20 days have passed since Prop. 215 went into
effect, but patients and physicians continue to be harassed, arrested, and
prosecuted. Enough is enough. The government must implement Prop. 215 now
and stop ignoring the will of the voters," Hinkle said.
The 215Now.com site was inspired by the January arrests of Steve Kubby, the
1998 Libertarian candidate for governor, and his wife Michele. The
launching of 215Now.com coincides with the Kubbys' latest pre-trial
hearing, held today in Auburn.
The heart of 215Now.com is an online petition that visitors can use to send
e-mail messages to targeted government officials. "We're taking matters
into our own hands," added Hinkle. "Patients are running out of time. We
need action now, and with the Internet we can instantaneously let the
government know how we feel."
The first phase of 215Now.com -- dubbed "Reschedule Marijuana NOW!" -- will
urge officials to change marijuana's legal status from a Schedule-I to a
Schedule-II drug. "Marijuana's status as a Schedule-I drug is the biggest
obstacle to implementing state medical marijuana initiatives like Prop.
215," Hinkle said.
Targets of this first petition are: Dr. Jane Henney, Commissioner of the
Food and Drug Administration; Donna Shalala, Secretary of Health and Human
Services; Janet Reno, U.S. Attorney General; and Gen. Barry McCaffrey,
Office of National Drug Control Policy Director.
215Now.com also contains a section devoted to Prop. 215 "Heroes" -- those
individuals such as the Kubbys who have faced legal or criminal action
since the passage of Prop. 215. "These are really the victims of the
non-enforcement of Prop. 215," Hinkle charged. "But they are heroes to
anyone who values compassion and health freedom of choice."
Hinkle stressed that the focus of 215Now.com will be the patients. "We urge
anyone who cares about providing medicine to suffering patients to visit
www.215Now.com sign the petition, and pass word along to their friends.
Hopefully we can force politicians to finally start putting patients before
politics."
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